Governor as Servant

Once a merchant arrived in the market of Mada’in from Syria with a lot of goods. Salman Farsi, the Governor of Mada’in, was roaming through the market. Such simple were his looks that there was all possibility to mistake him for a common man. The Syrian merchant ordered him to lift the luggage and began walking for his destination. A few of the local people who knew Salman Farsi, called the merchant aside and whispered in his ears that the man carrying his luggage was none but the Governor of Mada’in. This was highly embarrassing for the merchant who asked Salman to put down the luggage and pardon him for the mistake. But Salman was in no mood to oblige him. Salman said: “I have already decided to carry this burden to your destination and earn a virtue in the hereafter. And I cannot go against my niyyah (intention). He carried the luggage to the Syrian merchant’s destination.

Even the rulers did not think it below their dignity to help others, be it in a way that could embarrass their beneficiaries when it was revealed.

other links:

The Cookie Thief

Respect Your Mother

The Rich Man’s Dream